Chapter 3 | Reliability and Validity of Ten Consumer Activity Trackers Depend on Walking Speed
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University of Groningen The use of self-tracking technology for health Kooiman, Theresia Johanna Maria IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2018 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Kooiman, T. J. M. (2018). The use of self-tracking technology for health: Validity, adoption, and effectiveness. Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Download date: 26-09-2021 Chapter 3 | Reliability and validity of ten consumer activity trackers depend on walking speed Tryntsje Fokkema Thea J.M. Kooiman Wim P. Krijnen Cees P. van der Schans Martijn de Groot Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2017) 49(4):793-800 Chapter 3 Abstract Introduction Purpose Consumer activity trackers are an inexpensive and feasible method for estimating daily To examine the test-retest reliability and validity of ten activity trackers for step counting at physical activity. As the availability of these devices has increased, so has their use in daily three different walking speeds. life, health care, and medical science. Two commonly used physical activity guidelines are the 30-minutes of moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA) per day for at least five days a 1 2 Methods week. and the 10.000 steps/day norm. Research to a healthy amount of physical activity per day shows that engagement in at least 8000 to 11000 steps a day is related to many Thirty-one healthy participants walked twice on a treadmill for 30 minutes while wearing ten health benefits, like a better physical fitness, body composition, and glycemic control.2,3 activity trackers (Polar Loop, Garmin Vivosmart, Fitbit Charge HR, Apple Watch Sport, Pebble When 3000 steps are taken at moderate to vigorous intensity, both guidelines correspond Smartwatch, Samsung Gear S, Misfit Flash, Jawbone Up Move, Flyfit and Moves). with each other.4 For physically inactive people (e.g. people who take on average less than Participants walked three walking speeds for ten minutes each; slow (3.2 km·h-1), average 5000 steps/day), an increment of 2000 steps per day already relates to health improvements (4.8 km·h-1), and vigorous (6.4 km·h-1). To measure test-retest reliability, intraclass like a better body composition and decrement of BMI.5 Therefore, activity trackers have a correlations (ICCs) were determined between the first and second treadmill test. Validity large value in objectifying ones physical activity pattern and demonstrating changes in one’s was determined by comparing the trackers with the gold standard (hand counting), using activity behavior. Activity trackers should therefore be reliable and valid. mean differences, mean absolute percentage errors, and ICCs. Statistical differences were calculated by paired-sample t-tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and by constructing Bland- Many trackers demonstrate acceptable validity and reliability of step counting, Altman plots. however, other activity trackers perform relatively inadequately.6,7 The accuracy of activity trackers that were recently released into the market is currently unknown. A common Results challenge of activity trackers is their validity for tracking activities at different walking speeds 8,9 Test-retest reliability varied with ICCs ranging from -0.02 to 0.97. Validity varied between including a slower walking speed. The latter could be an issue when self-tracking is used trackers and different walking speeds with mean differences between the gold standard and for the assessment of daily physical activity of patients with limited physical abilities or the 10,11 activity trackers ranging from 0.0 to 26.4%. Most trackers showed relatively low ICCs and elderly population. Validation of activity trackers at different speeds is thus important. broad limits of agreement of the Bland-Altman plots at the different speeds. For the slow This certainly accounts for wearables that have recently entered the market. To achieve this, walking speed, the Garmin Vivosmart and Fitbit Charge HR showed the most accurate the aim of this study is to examine the test-retest reliability and validity of ten relatively new results. The Garmin Vivosmart and Apple Watch Sport demonstrated the best accuracy at an activity trackers when walking at three different speeds. average walking speed. For vigorous walking, the Apple Watch Sport, Pebble Smartwatch, and Samsung Gear S exhibited the most accurate results. Methods Conclusion Test-retest reliability and validity of activity trackers depends on walking speed. In general, Research design consumer activity trackers perform better at an average and vigorous walking speed than at A prospective study was conducted in a laboratory setting. Healthy adult volunteers were a slower walking speed. invited to walk two times for 30 minutes on a treadmill on different days (with approximately one week between the first and the second measurement). Each participant wore ten activity trackers. During the measurement phase, participants walked for half an hour at three different speeds (ten minutes each). First, they walked at a slow walking speed (3.2 km·h-1), next at a speed that is usually experienced as a comfortable walking speed (4.8 km·h-1), and finally at a vigorous walking speed (6.4 km·h-1).12 Participants were instructed to walk in a natural way with a normal intuitive arm swing. During the measurements, the number of steps was counted with a manual hand counter by one observer; the number subsequently functioned as the gold standard. The measurements were also recorded with a 40 Reliability and validity of ten consumer activity trackers depend on walking speed Abstract Introduction Purpose Consumer activity trackers are an inexpensive and feasible method for estimating daily To examine the test-retest reliability and validity of ten activity trackers for step counting at physical activity. As the availability of these devices has increased, so has their use in daily three different walking speeds. life, health care, and medical science. Two commonly used physical activity guidelines are the 30-minutes of moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA) per day for at least five days a 1 2 Methods week. and the 10.000 steps/day norm. Research to a healthy amount of physical activity per day shows that engagement in at least 8000 to 11000 steps a day is related to many Thirty-one healthy participants walked twice on a treadmill for 30 minutes while wearing ten 3 health benefits, like a better physical fitness, body composition, and glycemic control.2,3 activity trackers (Polar Loop, Garmin Vivosmart, Fitbit Charge HR, Apple Watch Sport, Pebble When 3000 steps are taken at moderate to vigorous intensity, both guidelines correspond Smartwatch, Samsung Gear S, Misfit Flash, Jawbone Up Move, Flyfit and Moves). with each other.4 For physically inactive people (e.g. people who take on average less than Participants walked three walking speeds for ten minutes each; slow (3.2 km·h-1), average 5000 steps/day), an increment of 2000 steps per day already relates to health improvements (4.8 km·h-1), and vigorous (6.4 km·h-1). To measure test-retest reliability, intraclass like a better body composition and decrement of BMI.5 Therefore, activity trackers have a correlations (ICCs) were determined between the first and second treadmill test. Validity large value in objectifying ones physical activity pattern and demonstrating changes in one’s was determined by comparing the trackers with the gold standard (hand counting), using activity behavior. Activity trackers should therefore be reliable and valid. mean differences, mean absolute percentage errors, and ICCs. Statistical differences were calculated by paired-sample t-tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and by constructing Bland- Many trackers demonstrate acceptable validity and reliability of step counting, Altman plots. however, other activity trackers perform relatively inadequately.6,7 The accuracy of activity trackers that were recently released into the market is currently unknown. A common Results challenge of activity trackers is their validity for tracking activities at different walking speeds 8,9 Test-retest reliability varied with ICCs ranging from -0.02 to 0.97. Validity varied between including a slower walking speed. The latter could be an issue when self-tracking is used trackers and different walking speeds with mean differences between the gold standard and for the assessment of daily physical activity of patients with limited physical abilities or the 10,11 activity trackers ranging from 0.0 to 26.4%. Most trackers showed relatively low ICCs and elderly population. Validation of activity trackers at different speeds is thus important. broad limits of agreement of the Bland-Altman plots at the different speeds. For the slow This certainly accounts for wearables that have recently entered the market. To achieve this, walking speed, the Garmin Vivosmart and Fitbit Charge HR showed the most accurate the aim of this study is to examine the test-retest reliability and validity of ten relatively new results. The Garmin Vivosmart and Apple Watch Sport demonstrated the best accuracy at an activity trackers when walking at three different speeds.